WASHINGTON, June 25 (DC Times Online) — The Senate rejected Sen. Tim Kaine’s Iran war powers resolution 50-47 on Wednesday, with Sen. Rand Paul voting present, after President Donald Trump met behind closed doors with Senate Republicans in Washington.
Kaine’s Virginia-sponsored measure would have directed Trump to withdraw U.S. forces from hostilities involving Iran unless Congress authorized further action. It came one day after the Senate approved a separate House-passed Iran resolution 50-48.
The House had passed a similar measure earlier in the month. In the Senate, Republicans Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski voted to advance Kaine’s resolution last month in a 50-47 procedural vote before the final rejection on Wednesday.
Trump met privately with Senate Republicans during the lunch and criticized the earlier war powers vote, according to senators and reporters. Sen. Bill Cassidy later said Trump “raised his voice” and “I lost my temper.”
After the vote, Trump wrote on Truth Social that it “puts Iran on notice.”
